Department for Transport

*No heading*

lord berkeley: Her Majesty's Government what discussions the Secretary of State for Transport has had with Network Rail concerning the Hansford Review; and whether they intend to publish that review.

lord callanan: The Department for Transport has held discussions with Network Rail regarding the Hansford Review. The report is an independent review, commissioned by Network Rail. It will be for Network Rail to decide the appropriate way to publish the findings.

*No heading*

lord berkeley: Her Majesty's Government whether they will consult the rail industry on all proposed changes relating to the rail sector, prior to introducing anylegislation to implement any such changes in connection with Brexit.

lord callanan: We understand the rail industry’s need for certainty as the UK prepares to exit the European Union. We have had constructive engagement with the industry so far. We will continue this engagement and will continue to consider rail industry views as the Government takes forward legislation under the Repeal Bill, and any future proposals for policy change in connection with our withdrawal from the EU.

*No heading*

lord bradshaw: Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied that, in considering applications from open access operators, adequate provisions are made for the plans of the rail freight sector.

lord callanan: The independent regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), must decide whether to grant access to the rail network for all operators with reference to its statutory duties. A number of these duties require the ORR to promote and protect the interests of rail freight companies and users of their services, as well as potential future users of these services. As part of making its decision on an application the ORR consults interested parties, including freight operators.

*No heading*

lord macpherson of earl's court: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of plans for a Garden Bridge in London.

lord callanan: The Department for Transport was provided with a business case for a garden bridge in London in 2014. The business case was assessed in accordance with normal Departmental procedures. It is a matter for the Garden Bridge Trust to manage the project going forward.

*No heading*

lord berkeley: Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the Reported road casualties in Great Britain: main results 2016.

lord callanan: The main results for 2016 will be published in the annual report publication entitled “Reported road casualties in Great Britain, annual report: 2016”, on 28th September 2017.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the European Aviation Safety Agency.

lord callanan: The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency system. As part of the exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU and member states how best to continue cooperation in the field of aviation safety and standards.

*No heading*

lord stevens of kirkwhelpington: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking regarding restrictions on drones, particularly in controlled airspace, in the light of the closure of the runway at Gatwick Airport in July.

lord callanan: Regulations are already in place prohibiting the misuse of drones and offences exist in order to deter and, if necessary, prosecute operators for malicious or negligent use. Under the Air Navigation Order 2016, it is an offence to endanger an aircraft and if convicted, a person can face a prison sentence of up to 5 years. The Government takes the safety risks of drones to aviation very seriously. We have already taken action on this by working with the Civil Aviation Authority and industry to raise awareness of the rules amongst drone operators and the general public. The Government intends to introduce further measures once we have fully analysed the evidence presented through our consultation process. We are exploring options, such as improving deterrents for the misuse of drones and measures to improve communication to drone users of ‘no drone flying zones’. The Government response to the consultation will be published in the near future.

Department for Communities and Local Government

*No heading*

baroness prosser: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of which percentage of the residents of Grenfell Tower were (1) direct tenants of the local authority, (2) tenants of private landlords, and (3) owner-occupiers; and on what basis were the costs of repairs and improvements shared amongst the different categories of resident.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: This information is not held by the Department.

*No heading*

baroness hayter of kentish town: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofThe EU's Impact on the UK Housing and Construction Industry, produced for the Red Tape Initiative in May 2016, in particular the comment that the Construction Products Regulation (EU 305/2011) is some "red tape folly" which is "expensive and burdensome for small businesses"; and what assessment they have made of the continued validity of that regulation, which aims to harmonise the quality of construction materials across the EU, including external cladding, to make sure that those materials are safe and fit to use.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: No assessment has been made of this report.

*No heading*

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government, in the light of (1) enforcement powers relating to compliance with building regulations expiring 12 months, and (2) powers to prosecute breaches of building regulations expiring 24 months, aftercompleting a building, what is their assessment of the effectiveness of (a) Local Authority Building Control, and (b) private Approved Inspectors.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Enforcement powers are only available to local authorities and it is for local authorities to determine when and how to use those powers.

*No heading*

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: Her Majesty's Government when they will make a decision on the allocations from the Community Housing Fund for 2017–18.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Community Housing Fund was launched on 23 December 2016 to put local groups who know their area’s needs best in the driving seat and help them deliver housing that is affordable to the local community. My officials are working up proposals and a decision on how the Fund will be delivered from 2017/18 will be made in due course.

*No heading*

baroness bakewell of hardington mandeville: Her Majesty's Government when they will announce the mechanism for distributing the second year of funding from the Community House Fund; and when they expect the number of houses built by Community Land Trusts and others to increase as a result of that funding.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Community Housing Fund was launched on 23 December 2016 to put local groups who know their area’s needs best in the driving seat and help them deliver housing that is affordable to the local community. My officials are working up proposals and a decision on how the Fund will be delivered from 2017/18 will be made in due course.In 2016/17, over 140 local authorities received grants under the Fund for a wide variety of purposes relating to increasing the capacity of the community-led housing sector in their areas as well as directly supporting the delivery of specific community-led housebuilding projects. We anticipate the first completions from schemes supported in this way to come through early next year.

*No heading*

lord beecham: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact on local authorities of the imposition of a one per cent pay cap.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: While local government is not covered by public sector pay policy which is set by HM Treasury, it will, of course, have regard for it.Local government pay matters are devolved and it is for local authorities as independent employers and locally elected bodies to make these decisions within the limits of what is affordable.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

*No heading*

baroness kennedy of cradley: Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the contribution to the economy of the brick industry.

lord prior of brampton: The Annual Business Survey 2015, published 9 June 2017, showed that the “manufacture of bricks, tiles and construction products, in baked clay” sector in 2015 employed 5,000 people across 125 enterprises, with a turnover of £925million.Whilst there are no individual statistics on the brick industry other data suggests well over half of this sector is brick manufacture. This represents 0.01% of enterprises and 0.03% of turnover and employment in the non-financial business economy.

*No heading*

baroness kennedy of cradley: Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the proportion of raw materials in the UK house building industry that is sourced in the UK.

lord prior of brampton: The Office of National Statistics, UK input output analytical tables, shows 86% of goods and services consumed in the construction industry are UK sourced.We do not hold any specific statistical data that contains only the proportion of raw material used in house building that are sourced from within the UK.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Department for Exiting the European Union: Operating Costs

baroness suttie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that the Eastern Europe region remains the only region in the UN system yet to produce a Secretary-General, and the fact that seven of the declared candidates for the position are from Eastern Europe, whether, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/286 of 9 October 2006 on Revitalisation of the work of the General Assembly, they are fully committed to giving "due regard to regional rotation" in the selection of the UN Secretary-General.

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what were the running costs for the Department for Exiting the European Union in 2016–17.

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what are the budgeted running costs of the Department for Exiting the European Union for 2017–18.

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what were the running costs for the Department for Exiting the European Union in 2016–17.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Department for Exiting the European Union’s 2017-18 budget is £101m as published in Main Estimates here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/609174/Main-Supply-Estimates-2017-2018-web.pdfThe Department’s actual running costs for 2016-17 will be published shortly in the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA).

Prum Convention

lord ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to encourage Kurdish Iraqis, Sunnis and Shia Muslims to live together after defeating ISIS in Iraq.

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1)the UK's interaction with Eurojust, and (2)common EU crime and security measures, after leaving the EU.

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend the UK to be a party to the Prum Convention after leaving the EU.

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1)the UK's interaction with Eurojust, and (2)common EU crime and security measures, after leaving the EU.

baroness williams of trafford: The Prime Minister has made clear that one of the twelve objectives for the negotiations ahead will be to establish a new relationship with the European Union that includes practical arrangements on matters of law enforcement cooperation to tackle cross-border crime and to keep our people safe. We continue to work closely with EU partners and we are examining the options for future cooperation on measures such as Eurojust and the Prüm Council Decisions once the UK has left the EU but it is too early to speculate at this stage what future arrangements may look like.

*No heading*

baroness whitaker: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Kosovo concerning amelioration of the situation of the Kosovo Roma, following the June 2016 report of the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Panel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are working with the Government of Kosovo on issues of minority rights including amongst the Roma community. Our Embassy in Pristina is supporting the return of displaced families from all communities – including the return of three Roma families who, by the end of this Financial Year, should be housed and in receipt of support packages.

*No heading*

baroness whitaker: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Ukraine about (1) investigating the burning down of the Roma camp at 2 Kanalna Street, Kyiv on 5 April, and (2) the return and integration of the Roma residents.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of predominantly Roma settlements in Kyiv being destroyed and inhabitants evicted on 30 March and 5 April, we are not aware of reports of what efforts have been made to re-home those affected. We will investigate further and raise these incidents and what has been done to re-home and reintegrate those affected back in to their local communities with the authorities in Kyiv. I shall write to update you as this progresses.

*No heading*

baroness whitaker: Her Majesty's Government how they intend to call the United Nations to account for the alleged violations of human rights law by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo in respect of the Kosovo Roma, as set out in the June 2016 report of the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Panel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government discusses issues relating to Kosovo and minority rights at the UN, and with international partners, on a regular basis. As part of the Government's support for UN reform, we want to ensure that there are robust systems in place to deal with such complaints. The UK hosted the UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial in London in September 2016, which called for improvements in the '3Ps' of peacekeeping; better planning, pledges and performance, and specifically that all UN personnel deployed in UN peacekeeping operations be committed to the highest standards of conduct.

*No heading*

the earl of sandwich: Her Majesty's Government how many refugees from North Africa have been rescued and taken to Italian ports by UK vessels so far this year; and what assessment they have made of reports that the Italian Government is considering blocking humanitarian ships flying foreign flags from returning to Italian ports.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Since May 2015, UK naval and Border Force assets have rescued over 15,000 people in the Central Mediterranean region. They are taken to ports in Italy where the Italian authorities are responsible for assessing who are eligible for refugee status. Along with other EU Member States, we await further details from the Italian government about any reported changes to this arrangement.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government when was the last time that FCO Ministers discussed religious persecution in Turkey, in particular the persecution of religious minorities,with Turkish officials; and at what level did these discussions take place.

baroness goldie: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers hold regular discussions with their Turkish counterparts on human rights matters. We strongly support religious freedom in Turkey and are supporting a civil society project that addresses hate speech towards religious minorities. We will continue to raise these important subjects with the Turkish authorities.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government whether the UK embassy in Ankara has made any contacts with the Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation in relation to the government of Turkey's seizure of Christian properties.

baroness goldie: Our Embassy in Ankara has not been in contact with the Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation. Legal changes to local government structures in Mardin, where many important Assyrian religious sites are found, resulted in 2012 in the transfer of the title deeds to some religious sites from local bodies to central government. They were eventually transferred to the Government's Directorate for Religious Affairs. Assyrian organisations are making legal appeals against these decisions. The British Embassy in Ankara regularly raises human rights issues with the Turkish authorities and will be closely following this legal process.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Algeria about the six Ahmadis sentencedon 28 June to up to four years in prison for charges relating to the exercise of their religion; and when they last discussed with the government of Algeriaits obligations under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which requires states to guarantee freedom of religion and belief.

baroness goldie: On the issue of the 28 June sentencing, we have raised this with the Algerian Embassy in London. We noted that the constitution protects freedom of conscience and religion but that domestic law might limit these rights. During Algeria's last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in May, we raised the question of whether domestic law was to be changed to allow full freedom of religion as per the constitution. Algeria will consider the recommendations of the UPR and reply by September.

*No heading*

the lord bishop of coventry: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Indonesia that Indonesia's blasphemy laws will not be applied in a discriminatory manner, including against those who do not practise one of the six religions recognised under Indonesian law.

baroness goldie: We raise these issues regularly and appropriately with the Indonesian government. We supported the EU statement, issued following the conviction of the former governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (known as 'Ahok') on blasphemy charges. This called on the Indonesian government, its institutions and its people to continue the long standing tradition of tolerance and pluralism in Indonesia and stated that laws criminalising blasphemy when applied in a discriminatory manner can have a serious inhibiting effect on freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Our Ambassador to Indonesia also publicly expressed concern about the blasphemy verdict against 'Ahok' on social media. More generally, and in meetings with political and religious leaders, the Ambassador and Embassy officials have actively cautioned against mixing issues of race, ethnicity and religion with politics.In addition, we are also supporting the Indonesian parliament in their ongoing revision of the Indonesian Penal Code to encourage respect for human rights, including freedom of religion.

*No heading*

the lord bishop of coventry: Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist the government of Indonesia in strengthening Indonesia's resilience to violent extremism.

baroness goldie: The British Government has provided resilience assistance to the Indonesian government since the appalling terrorist attacks in Bali in 2002. Since then, the UK has supported Indonesian efforts to improve its capabilities in disrupting terrorist activity in Indonesia, particularly through the work of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) which provides training to law enforcement officials and enables sharing of UK expertise. We remain concerned by current trends in violent extremism in Indonesia, including terrorist attacks such as in central Jakarta in January 2016. We are supporting work to increase community resilience to extremism as well as continuing efforts with the Indonesian authorities to counter violent extremism. This includes support for legal reform as well as the promotion of human rights.

*No heading*

lord judd: Her Majesty's Government what are their priorities for working together with other world leaders in relation to the role of the UN Security Council.

baroness goldie: As a ​permanent member of the Security Council, the Government routinely engages with world leaders on the top issues at the Council's agenda, such as Syria, DPRK, Somalia and peacekeeping. One such opportunity is the UN General Assembly Ministerial week, every September. The Government has also been working with the new UN Secretary-General on his priorities, since he took up the role on 1 January. One of these priorities is UN reform, to build a more effective and efficient UN.

*No heading*

lord judd: Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to ensure that the requirements of the Arms Trade Treaty are fully implemented, including that the potential that arms could be used to commit war crimes and human rights violations is taken into account when arms exports decisions are being made; and how they are applying the Treaty provisions to Saudi Arabia, with particular reference to that state'sactivities in Yemen.

baroness goldie: The Government operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU & National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the 'Consolidated Criteria'), taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.The Consolidated Criteria were updated in March 2014 following the signing of the Arms Trade Treaty. Criterion 1(b) says that the Government will not grant a licence if to do so would be inconsistent with "the UK's obligations under the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty". Criterion 2(a) states that the Government will "not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items might be used for internal repression" and Criterion 2(c) states that the Government will "not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law".A licence will not be issued for any items, including those destined for an end user in Saudi Arabia, if to do so would be inconsistent with these Criteria. We welcome the Divisional Court's judgment of 10 July recognising the rigorous and robust processes we have in relation to decisions about exports to Saudi Arabia for possible use in the conflict in Yemen.

*No heading*

lord kilclooney: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of which other 27 Member States in the European Union have conscription into their military forces.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: No assessment has been made of which other 27 Member States in the European Union have conscription into their military forces.

*No heading*

baroness kinnock of holyhead: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Burma in support of the efforts of the UN to investigate human rights abuses against the Rohingya people.

baroness goldie: We have urged both civilian and military ministers in the Government to ensure a restrained security response in Rakhine, allow immediate and unfettered access for humanitarian aid and to conduct an impartial and independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers raised our concerns with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during her visit to the UK in May. The Foreign Secretary also raised these issues during his visit to Burma in January.  In March this year, the UK co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council Resolution which established an Independent International Fact Finding Mission to look into the situation in Rakhine State. We urge the Burmese government to cooperate fully with this mission.

*No heading*

the lord bishop of coventry: Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include freedom of religion or belief on the agenda of the 2018 Commonwealth Summit.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government believes that the Commonwealth is a force for good around the world, through its promotion of freedom, democracy, human rights, development and prosperity.The UK-hosted 2018 Commonwealth Summit will encourage all Commonwealth members to uphold the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter, and this includes freedom of religion and belief. We are currently working on finalising the key themes and agenda for the summit which will include a focus on shared values and the human rights agenda.

*No heading*

lord judd: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to strengthen international agreement on the protection of human rights; and what policies they are pursuing to strengthen the UN Human Rights Council.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government strongly supports the Human Rights Council (HRC), the High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) and his Office in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide. This introductory support was underlined during a recent call I had in my capacity as the UK's Human Rights Minister with the HCHR. The UK supports reform aimed at ensuring HRC membership elections are competitive, as well as efforts to increase the capacity of small states to engage with the Council and its mechanisms.

Wales Office

*No heading*

lord lansley: Her Majesty's Government when, and in what terms, they advised the Welsh Government about the public sector financial implications and accounting treatment of the Circuit of Wales project's proposed guarantee.

viscount younger of leckie: We discuss matters of economic and financial importance to Wales with the Welsh Government on a regular basis. However, we are clear that any support for this project is for the Welsh Government to determine.

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the rules relating to the lending and investment powers of the government of Wales; and whether HM Treasury intervened in relation to the Circuit of Wales Project at Ebbw Vale.

viscount younger of leckie: The Government agreed a new fiscal framework for the Welsh Government in December 2016 including increasing the Welsh Government’s overall capital borrowing limit to £1bn, which came into effect in March this year. We discuss matters of economic and financial importance to Wales with the Welsh Government on a regular basis. However, we are clear that any support for this project is for the Welsh Government to determine.

Department for Education

*No heading*

baroness mcgregor-smith: Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that their focus on equalities will continue in the period leading up to Brexit.

lord nash: The United Kingdom has a proud record of promoting equality and we have some of the strongest laws to prevent and tackle discrimination. In the run up to the United Kingdom exiting the European Union, we will continue to promote and champion the equal rights we believe in and ensure the necessary legal protections are maintained.

*No heading*

lord storey: Her Majesty's Government how many free schools have closed, or are planning to close; and who bears the costs of any outstanding capital or revenue debts.

lord nash: There are currently 346 free schools open. Since 2010, six free schools have closed and two closures are planned for summer 2017. The primary objective of the Department when making a decision to close a school is to ensure the best possible educational outcomes for pupils and to secure value for money for the taxpayer. The Department would expect the responsible body to meet any outstanding costs or debts. Where this is not possible, the Department would consider providing financial support if reasonable to do so.

Ministry of Justice

*No heading*

lord eames: Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to extend the remit of the proposed public advocate in cases of public disaster to other areas of bereavement and its consequences.

lord keen of elie: We will consult in the autumn on detailed proposals as to the Independent Public Advocate’s powers, duties and functions.

*No heading*

lord laird: Her Majesty's Government whether all government funded bodies are required to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe guidelines on human rights, and if so who monitors their compliance.

lord keen of elie: Under international law, the United Kingdom has undertaken to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Human Rights Act 1998 gives further effect in domestic law to certain rights and freedoms drawn from the Convention, called the Convention rights. Section 6(1) of the Act makes it unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right. Under section 6(3), “public authority” is defined as including a court or tribunal, and “any person certain of whose function are functions of a public nature”; but does not include either House of Parliament or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in Parliament. Section 73(2) of the Care Act 2011 additionally specifies that a provider of regulated care and support that has been arranged or paid for by a local authority or Health and Social Care trust is also to be taken as exercising a function of a public nature for the purposes of the Human Rights Act. Any allegation that a public authority has acted incompatibly with a Convention right may be brought to court as specified in section 7 of the Act. Guidelines produced by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe are not legally binding.

Department for Work and Pensions

*No heading*

lord farmer: Her Majesty's Government whether it is their policy to continue with the plans to address parental conflict in workless families set out in Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families,published in April.

baroness buscombe: Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families set out our plans to tackle the root causes of disadvantage, with a focus on workless families. As part of this approach, we announced an innovative new programme of support to help parents, whether they are together or separated, to reduce conflict. This is based on the most recent evidence, which tells us that children who are exposed to frequent, intense and poorly resolved conflict are at risk of experiencing poorer long term outcomes. Plans are currently underway to develop this support, and more details of this will be announced in due course.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

*No heading*

lord tebbit: Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the findings of Professor Tyler of Exeter University relating to transgender fish in rivers affected by residues of contraceptive pills, what action they intend to take to avoid health risks to humans.

lord gardiner of kimble: The class of substances known as Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) which include oestrogens found in contraceptive pills are a hazard to some wildlife. While it is correct that EDCs are a recognised environmental issue, which continues to be researched with a view to the protection of wildlife, EDCs do not pose a threat to drinking water supplies as drinking water treatment facilities will remove oestrogens, if they were to occur in river water.The Environment Agency is currently commissioning work to survey the incidence and severity of intersex in wild fish in a number of rivers that were surveyed 15 years ago, to assess how the situation may have changed.

Home Office

*No heading*

lord eames: Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the need forlong-term support for victims of modern slavery in the UK, to assist in their recovery.

baroness williams of trafford: Potential victims of modern slavery in the UK are entitled to at least 45 days of support, and in the majority of cases support is provided for much longer than 45 days. This specialist support is provided to all potential victims who receive a positive ‘reasonable grounds’ decisions through a victim care contract with The Salvation Army. If an individual is then confirmed to be a victim they will receive support for a further 14 days. During this time support providers will work with the victim to implement a tailored plan on how they can move on safely to integrate into UK society or to return to their home country if it is safe for them to do so. The government is reviewing the support it provides to victims as part of wider reforms to the National Referral Mechanism.

*No heading*

lord ouseley: Her Majesty's Government what priority they attach to reducing the increasing levels of knife crime; and when they intend to restore spending levels for youth services to assist local initiatives in this area.

baroness williams of trafford: Tackling knife crime is a priority for the Government. Our Modern Crime Prevention Strategy published in March 2016 set out a range of measures to strengthen our response to knife crime. Our work to tackle knife crime is centred on four key strands – working with the police on operations and enforcement, work on legislative framework, work with retailers on responsible sales, and early intervention and prevention. We are taking firm action including encouraging police forces to undertake a series of coordinated national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. The operation includes targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps, test purchases of knives from identified retailers, and the use of surrender bins. The Home Office hosted a national briefing event for police forces on Operation Sceptre on 14 June and a record twenty nine police forces are expected to be involved in the next week of action planned for mid July. Local authorities are responsible for assessing need for youth services and allocating funding. The Government is supporting local authorities and the youth sector by investing to help youth organisations demonstrate their impact. The Government is investing in the National Citizen Service, investing up to £80 million through the ‘# iwill’ social action campaign and ‘Youth Investment Funds’ to help young people develop skills, improve their wellbeing and contribute to their communities. The Government is also investing in the ‘Delivering Differently for Young People’ programme, which helped local authorities develop new models for delivering on their statutory duty to provide positive activities for young people.

*No heading*

lord hain: Her Majesty's Government how many EU nationals have been removed from the UK under Article 14(4)(b) of Directive 2004/38 because (1) they did not satisfy the work requirements,or (2) they were homeless.

baroness williams of trafford: I am sorry but the data requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government what is their action plan to tackle female genital mutilation; and what assessment they have made of the success of that plan to date.

baroness williams of trafford: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. We will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong physical and psychological suffering to women and girls. That is why our work to end this practice is an integral part of the cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, which is backed by increased funding of £100M.We have significantly strengthened the law, including introducing a new offence of failing to protect a girl from FGM, lifelong anonymity for victims, and a mandatory reporting duty requiring specified professionals to report known cases in under 18s to the police. We have also introduced FGM Protection Orders to protect women and girls at the earliest opportunity. These are already being used to good effect - since their introduction in July 2015, over 100 orders have been made. Raising awareness amongst frontline professionals is essential. That is why in April 2016 we published multi-agency guidance on FGM, which is statutory for the first time, and have developed free e-learning which has been completed by over 100,000 individuals to date. The Home Office’s FGM Unit is carrying out awareness raising outreach across the UK. These tools are helping increase awareness, encourage good practice, and support training. Significant work is under way to improve the response from health and social care professionals. The Department of Health, in partnership with the NHS, is leading a £4m national FGM Prevention Programme, and as part of the Department for Education’s £200m Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme a range of projects have been funded. DfE have also invested £375,000 to raise awareness amongst school staff and pupils.

*No heading*

baroness uddin: Her Majesty's Government whether acid violence is a recognised term within the criminal justice system; and if so, what is its definition.

baroness williams of trafford: There is no recognised term or a specific offence of “acid violence”. However, a range of offences are relevant depending on the nature of the violence and the harm caused.The most serious violence and harm caused by use of acid or other corrosive substances is likely to be subject to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 causes grievous bodily harm with intent to do so. This carries a maximum life sentence. In addition, someone who has possession of acid or other corrosive substances with an intention to do harm, is likely to be considered to be in possession of an offensive weapon, which is a criminal offence.

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with police commissioners about the adequacy of available resources for those commissioners to fulfil their role and duties.

baroness williams of trafford: Home Office Ministers have met with a number of senior police leaders since the General Election on a wide range of issues including resources. We have protected overall police spending and Counter-Terrorism policing in real terms since Spending Review 2015.Every Police & Crime Commissioner who maximised their local precept income in 2016-17 and 2017-18 is receiving at least the same direct resource funding in cash than they received in 2015-16.We have a constructive and ongoing dialogue with policing about ensuring that the right powers, capabilities and resources are in place to keep t he public safe.

*No heading*

lord greaves: Her Majesty's Government whether the inquiry into, and report on, foreign funding and support for jihadi groups in the UK has been completed; if not, when it will be completed; how muchit hascost so far; andwhether they intend to publish it, and if so, when.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government’s review of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK reported to the Home Secretary and Prime Minister in 2016. It has improved the Government’s understanding of the nature, scale and sources of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK. The review was carried out by the Home Office at no extra cost to the Department. The Government updated Parliament on the review’s main findings on Wednesday 12 July 2017.

*No heading*

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend the UK to be a party to the Prum Convention after leaving the EU.

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend the UK to be a party to the Prum Convention after leaving the EU.

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1)the UK's interaction with Eurojust, and (2)common EU crime and security measures, after leaving the EU.

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1)the UK's interaction with Eurojust, and (2)common EU crime and security measures, after leaving the EU.

baroness williams of trafford: The Prime Minister has made clear that one of the twelve objectives for the negotiations ahead will be to establish a new relationship with the European Union that includes practical arrangements on matters of law enforcement cooperation to tackle cross-border crime and to keep our people safe. We continue to work closely with EU partners and we are examining the options for future cooperation on measures such as Eurojust and the Prüm Council Decisions once the UK has left the EU but it is too early to speculate at this stage what future arrangements may look like.

*No heading*

lord rooker: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 4 August 2014 (HL938), whether the file relating to Hilda Murrell referred to as being from 1993, and due for review in 2017 in respect of transfer to the National Archives, has yet been reviewed; and, if so, with what outcome.

baroness williams of trafford: The file has not yet been examined, but is scheduled for review over the summer.

*No heading*

the lord bishop of southwark: Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of the number of Iraqi refugees that have fled Daesh in Syria who are now eligible for ressetlement under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

baroness williams of trafford: The extended scope of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme will make it accessible to the most vulnerable refugees in the Middle East and North Africa region who have fled the Syrian conflict, regardless of their nationality. This may include Iraqi refugees, if they are genuine refugees and cannot seek the protection of their country of origin. There is no current estimate on the number Iraqi refugees that are now eligible. We will continue to rely on UNHCR to identify and refer the most vulnerable refugees.

*No heading*

baroness helic: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byBaroness Williams of Trafford on extremism (HLWS40), whether they plan to share with other countries the internal review into the nature, scale and origin of the funding of Islamist extremist activity in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government laid a Written Ministerial Statement in both Houses on Wednesday 12 July, which conveyed the main findings of the Government’s review into the funding for Islamist extremist activity in the UK. The statement confirms that the Government will continue to raise issues of concern through our bilateral relationships where there is evidence of support for extremism in the UK. The Charity Commission will also be introducing a requirement on charities to declare overseas sources of funding to increase transparency in this area. The Government’s Counter-Extremism Strategy sets out its commitment to tackling extremism in all its forms, including engaging internationally to support our efforts to defeat extremism in the UK. This includes countering the flow of extremism to the UK, whether money, people or ideology; building international partnerships with all those opposed to extremism; and disrupting extremists from entering the UK. The Government engages with a wide range of international partners on extremism issues, including through the United Nation’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism and the United Nation’s Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

Department for Exiting the European Union

*No heading*

lord kinnock: Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made to ensure that the advice given by the newly established EU Exit business advisory group will be taken and acted upon.

baroness anelay of st johns: Now that negotiations are underway, Her Majesty’s Government needs to intensify its engagement with UK business to ensure a smooth and orderly exit from the EU. We will bring forward a Business Advisory Group on EU exit in order to canvass a variety of views from across the business community. We will reach a successful outcome by drawing on the expertise of these organisations and working with them to test and validate positions as we prepare to leave the EU.

*No heading*

lord stoddart of swindon: Her Majesty's Government whether they will reject any proposals to extend the negotiating period to leave the European Union beyond two years and whether they will use their best endeavours to conclude negotiations sooner than the two year period laid down in Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Government has been clear that we want to have reached an agreement about our future partnership by the time the two year Article 50 process has ended, in March 2019.Within that time, we will work to secure a deal that works for Britain and for Europe. We are delivering on the result of the referendum and the UK will leave the EU in 2019. While we do not propose to give a running commentary on the negotiations, providing certainty to businesses and individuals is our priority, and we will do so as early as possible where we can.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government whether they haveevaluated the impact of Brexit on women; and if so, whether they will publish that evaluation.

baroness anelay of st johns: In developing all policy related to EU exit, government departments have an ongoing responsibility to meet the Public Sector Equalities Duty under the Equality Act 2010. As such, any policy changes resulting from EU exit will be reviewed to ascertain whether they ​give rise to discrimination on grounds of sex, create equality of opportunity for women or the likelihood of discrimination based on sex, and foster good relations between women and men. The Public Sector Equality Duty will also apply in relation to the other protected characteristics.

*No heading*

lord marks of henley-on-thames: Her Majesty's Government how many (1) legally qualified staff, and (2) staff without legal qualifications, now working in the Department for Exiting the European Union (a) have been transferred from, or (b) are on secondment from, the Ministry of Justice.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Department is recruiting the brightest and the best from across the civil service, the wider public sector and the private sector. The Department for Exiting the European Union now has over 450 staff, and is growing fast. The Department for Exiting the European Union obtains its legal advice from the Government Legal Department. We will not be providing a running commentary on particular groups of staff as recruitment is ongoing and numbers are regularly changing. We will ensure we have the right skills to get the best deal for the UK.

*No heading*

lord taylor of warwick: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek early agreement on a transition period for Brexit.

baroness anelay of st johns: We have been clear that we want to give citizens and business in the UK and the EU, and from around the world, as much certainty as possible, as early as possible. This is why we want to have reached agreement about our future partnership by the end of March 2019. From that point on, we believe a phased period of implementation, during which time both Britain and the EU Institutions and Member States prepare for the new relationship, will help both sides to minimise unnecessary disruption.

*No heading*

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what are the budgeted running costs of the Department for Exiting the European Union for 2017–18.

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what are the budgeted running costs of the Department for Exiting the European Union for 2017–18.

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what were the running costs for the Department for Exiting the European Union in 2016–17.

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what were the running costs for the Department for Exiting the European Union in 2016–17.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Department for Exiting the European Union’s 2017-18 budget is £101m as published in Main Estimates here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/609174/Main-Supply-Estimates-2017-2018-web.pdfThe Department’s actual running costs for 2016-17 will be published shortly in the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA).

Department for International Trade

*No heading*

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government how many officials with substantial experience of international trade negotiations have been appointed to the Department for International Trade.

lord price: The Department for International Trade has a strong and capable trade policy team which has grown significantly since June 2016 (from 45 to over 300 today), and is continuing to grow. We continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and externally, in order to build a world class trade policy team that can deliver the best outcomes for the UK. At this stage, the Department’s primary focus is on developing our trade policy positions, international relationships and approach to future trade negotiations to ensure we are in the best position to agree trade deals once we exit the EU. The Department has recently appointed Crawford Falconer to the role of Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser and Head of Trade Profession. Mr Falconer brings a wealth of global trade expertise from over 25 years of working on trade policy in the New Zealand government, the World Trade Organization and academia.

*No heading*

lord hylton: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that trade negotiations with Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia are not adversely affected by the UK's negotiations for leaving the EU.

lord price: As the Prime Minister has said, we want to build a truly Global Britain that is one of the firmest advocates for free trade anywhere in the world. Whilst the UK is a member of the EU, we will continue to press for and support an ambitious EU trade agenda. This includes the various EU trade initiatives with Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. We are also considering our future trading relationships with all of our partners as we prepare to leave the EU.

*No heading*

lord hylton: Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to arrange for duty-free entry into the UK of olive-oil and phosphates from Tunisia.

lord price: The Government is actively considering a range of options for its future trade policy once we leave the EU. In particular, we are seeking to pursue a strategy that will not only maximise benefits to the UK economy, but also ensure as smooth a transition as possible.

*No heading*

lord hylton: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the supply of weapons from the UK to Saudi-Arabia, some of which have been used in the Yemen, complies with the UK's obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty for a risk-based assessment of end-use.

lord price: All export licences are considered on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. This was set out in the Secretary of State’s statement to the House of Commons on Monday 10 July following the High Court’s judgment dismissing the claim for judicial review brought by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (HC Deb 10 July 2017, Vol 627, Col 46). The Consolidated Criteria are fully compliant with the UK’s obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

*No heading*

lord greaves: Her Majesty's Government whether the Community Organisers programme is still in place; if so, (1) to which Governmentdepartment or agencyit is accountable, and (2) in which places it is in operation; if not, whenit wasbrought to a close and on what authority; and for each year in which it has operated, what was the cost.

lord ashton of hyde: The Community Organisers programme contract ran from 2010 - 2015. A new Community Organisers Expansion Programme was launched in March 2017 and will run until 2020. 1) The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) contracted the delivery of the Community Organisers Expansion Programme.2) 20 Social Action Hubs will be appointed across England to train Community Organisers as part of the Expansion Programme. The first 10 hubs have been publicly announced (http://www.corganisers.org.uk/news/launch-2nd-round-funding) and the second 10 will be announced later in 2017.3) The Community Organisers programme costs for 2010 - 2015 are published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts which can be found at the link below. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-annual-reports-and-accounts. The Community Organisers Expansion programme costs for the financial year 2016/17 will be published by DCMS in mid July 2017 on the Gov.uk website.

Department of Health

Religious Hatred: Islam

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of visits to hospital Accident and Emergency departments during 2015 resulted in admission to hospital.

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations have taken place between the Home Office and other relevant government agencies with reference to the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting communiqué in which "Heads recalled the importance to the people of the Commonwealth for legitimate and temporary reasons in order to benefit from stronger economic, official and cultural cooperation"; and what action, if any, has followed.

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the recent elections in the Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus on the UK's aims for the talks process on the reunification of Cyprus, and on their foreign policy position regarding that island.

baroness williams of trafford: We condemn any attacks against people on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity. Where a crime is motivated by race or religion it will be treated as a hate crime and the perpetrator will receive a higher sentence. The police now record religiously based hate crimes by faith. The figures for hate crime in 16/17 will be published in October.The Government is committed to tackling hate crime and we have in place a comprehensive Hate Crime Action Plan to drive forward action against such crimes. The action plan includes additional funding for projects to tackle hate crime at local level and to protect places of worship from hate crime. A further £1M to protect places of worship and religiously based community centres that are vulnerable to attack was announced on 22 June.

*No heading*

lord eames: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve mental health services for young people.

lord o'shaughnessy: We are making an additional £1.4 billion available up until 2020/21 to improve the provision of children and young people’s mental health services, including £150 million specifically to tackle eating disorders. This funding is delivering a major system-wide transformation programme to improve access and make services more widely available across the country, and implementing the vision set out in Future in Mind. To this end all clinical commissioning groups working with their partners, developed transformation plans for children’s and young people’s mental health in 2015/16, incorporating them last year into their wider NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans. These set out how local agencies are working together to improve children and young people’s mental health across the full spectrum of need. Later this year, the Government will publish a Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health focused on helping young people receive the best start in life. The Green Paper will have two core themes: preventing mental ill-health and ensuring better access to services.

*No heading*

lord blencathra: Her Majesty's Government whether civil servants in the Department of Health are permitted to use the term “hard Brexit” in official briefing papers.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government is committed to seizing the opportunities arising from exiting the European Union, and to ensuring that we exit smoothly on the best possible terms. The terms 'hard' and 'soft' are commonly used outside the Civil Service and within discussions around EU exit. The role of the Civil Service is to provide impartial advice and to deliver Government policy, and is focused on delivering this Government’s commitment to leave the EU and get the very best deal for the United Kingdom.

*No heading*

lord bradley: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the age profile of mental health nurses employed by the NHS in England in each of the last ten years.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS Digital publishes workforce statistics and the attached table shows the age profile of mental health nurses in the National Health Service in England at 30 September 2007 to 2016. Data for March 2017 is also provided as this is the latest available. The data is headcount because equality data relates to individuals.



Age profile of mental health nurses
(Excel SpreadSheet, 20.92 KB)

*No heading*

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government how many people commenced treatment for hepatitis C in the financial year 2016–17 broken down by operational delivery network area.

lord o'shaughnessy: The following table shows the number of people who commenced treatment in the financial year 2016-17 broken down by operational delivery network (ODN) area. The data has been collected by NHS England and was previously unpublished. Network(ODN)ActualBarts494Birmingham748Bristol and Severn Hep C ODN326Cheshire and Merseyside347Eastern Hepatitis Network586Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire687Humberside and North Yorkshire377Kent Network via Kings154Lancashire and South Cumbria330Leicester255North Central London Viral Hepatitis Network730North East and Cumbria395Nottingham383South Thames Hepatitis Network870South Yorkshire340Surrey Hepatitis Services154Sussex Hepatology Network241SW Peninsula Hepatitis C ODN328Thames Valley Hep C ODN347Wessex Hep C ODN341West London562West Yorkshire445Total9,440